


Lutefisk and Love

by Avelys



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Dogs, M/M, Norway (Country), Post-Canon, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 08:31:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9170989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avelys/pseuds/Avelys
Summary: Kyungsoo had the perfect vacation planned out, and then Jongin inserted himself into it.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this before I had a dog, so this is due for an update. Eventually.
> 
> Written for exohousewarming.

The air was cold, but it was also fresh.

That was the first impression that Kyungsoo had of Norway. He had always wanted to visit the place, having seen its beauty in postcards and through google, and now he was going to live there, almost entirely alone.

Almost. 

He eyed his preoccupied companion through his peripheral vision, watching as Jongin cheerfully unpacked the trunk of their rental car, all the while humming an obnoxious pop tune. The dancer looked as cheerful as could be, and paid little to no mind to how displeased Kyungsoo was with his presence. He had to unclench his hand in order to stop his twitching eyelid with an index finger.

In his imagination, Kyungsoo had envisioned a scene where he sat by himself on a balcony, wrapped up in a fluffy warm afghan, overlooking the scenic vistas with no small degree of satisfaction. With a sigh, he mentally added an energetic, constantly yippering Jongin into the picture- as well as his three annoying dogs. Ruined. It was absolutely ruined.

Okay, he was a little bitter that Jongin had intruded on his plans. He had to have known that there was no way for Kyungsoo to refuse without coming off as a jerk.

“You’re right, hyung!” Jongin declared, taking a deep breath as if in appreciation of the earthy scent of the morning. He threw his arms out, no doubt in an attempt to feel the mountain breeze, but only succeeded in looking like an overgrown five year old. “Everything is so beautiful here! It does look like something out of Skyrim!”

Yep, an overgrown five year old.

With a sigh, Kyungsoo picked up his two duffel bags. Breathing in the crisp air one last time for strength, he walked up the porch to examine his new house.

While it wasn’t necessarily the grandest house or the most beautiful one (and definitely nothing like Chanyeol and Baekhyun’s three story apartment in the UN Village,) their new home was spacious and had a free atmosphere enhanced by large windows. Cozy looking furniture had been delivered and set before their arrival per his request. With a smile, he noted that since the house was perched atop a hill, the rivers, waterfall, and trees of the canyon were all visible. Small blessings like that would probably go a long way to making up for the presence of one Kim Jongin.

“Hyung!” Speak of the devil and he shall appear: Jongin ducked through the doorway, his arms laden with numerous bags and valises. His three dogs nipped excitedly at his heels, their leashes all attached to one of the belt loops on his jeans. He had a big dumb smile on his dumb face. “Have you checked out the rooms yet?”

Kyungsoo smiled blandly, hoping that Jongin couldn’t tell how discontented he was. “I was just going to do that,” he replied. He turned on his heel with purpose, and walked into the hallway, noting that there seemed to be only two rooms.

After a short examination, he came to the conclusion that while the room all the way down the hall was the largest, its main window was poorly placed, providing only the view of dirt and trees. He quickly dropped his belongings in the other room, claiming it as his. He had half a mind to unpack so he could avoid talking with Jongin for another half hour (and so he could munch on some of the truffles a fan had gifted him that he was just _dying_ to try,) but his empty stomach rumbled in protest. Not having eaten for about two days (he had boycotted the disgusting airplane fare, while Jongin had devoured it with gusto) he was feeling especially famished. With a sigh, he caved to the demands of his gastrointestinal tract, and plodded his way to the kitchen.

There, he was greeted with the sight of Jongin and a huge mess splayed all over the counter. 

One of the dogs- a small fluffy brown creature Kyungsoo thought was named Jjangu- ran up to him, having been freed from the constraints of its leash. Absentmindedly, he picked it up and commenced a head-stroking session.

“What are you doing?” he questions, rocking the dog like a baby. “Maybe I can help.”

Jongin turned to him, though he still seemed focused on his task. His tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth, and a vein was popping in his forehead. Altogether, he looked like a picture of extreme focus- hilarious considering that all he was doing was chopping vegetables (and poorly at that.)

“I’m chopping the cabbage, hyung,” he explained, sounding terribly distracted.

Kyungsoo nodded. “I can see that,” he deadpans. “Are you trying to cook? Can you even cook?”

It struck him as a little funny and sad that he didn’t know whether Jongin could cook: individual friendships aside, the members of EXO were close to varying degrees, but they had never truly been a tight-knit family, and were more of like friends or coworkers. Though there had been a time where they all felt close, as the years dragged on, drama and time conflicts had created significant distance between most of the members. Sometimes, he felt jealous of the smaller groups from the smaller agencies: although they didn’t have as many opportunities for success, their camaraderie and close bonds were something Kyungsoo had always wanted to experience.

Emotions surged within him then- a whirling maelstrom of sentimentality. Here Jongin was, on a trip to Norway with him, and here he was, complaining about it. Feeling like a horribly ungrateful person, he resolved to forge a stronger bond with the other man while he had the chance.

And things could be worse. He could be living with Baekhyun. Poor Chanyeol, Kyungsoo thinks with feeling.

Nodding, turned his head to Jongin, who had moved on from the cabbages to another vegetable. In alarm, Kyungsoo set the dog back onto the ground. “What are you doing now?” he demanded incredulously.

“I’m… mincing the garlic?” Jongin seemed confused at the question.

Kyungsoo’s eyes bulged widely. “With a vegetable peeler??”

Never mind. Damn it all to hell.

-

Clutching his backpack straps in excitement, Kyungsoo stared across the glittering lake with wide, admiring eyes. The beauty of the Norwegian countryside was living up to, and exceeding, his expectations, and he couldn’t wait to get on the ferry and view everything from the crystalline water to the verdant woods. Determined to catch sight of the incoming ferry, he stepped onto his tiptoes and craned his head.

“Relax hyung,” Jongin laughed. He was a sight to behold like this, sloppily dressed with the leashes of his three dogs in hand, waiting to board the ferry. Side-eyeing his hipsterish clothing choices, Kyungsoo couldn’t help but tsk. Tacky fashion like that might work in the K-pop industry, but here in the backwoods of Norway, it only drew stares and judgement. “The ferry will come on time like it’s supposed to.”

“Who’s worried?” Kyungsoo retorted. “What made you think that? I was just trying to get a photos of the ferry coming through the fjord.”

Jongin’s smile faltered, but only temporarily, before it resurged with a vengeance. “Give your phone to me!” He demands. “I’ll take the photo for you!”

Kyungsoo debated the idea. On one hand, part of the reason he wanted to take a picture of the ferry was to have the experience of taking the picture. On the other hand, Jongin was much taller, and thus better equipped to snap a decent shot. Kyungsoo tried to envision what a picture he took would look like- but the mohawk of the tall, broad tourist standing in front of him kept blocking the photo from forming in his imagination.

Wordlessly, he passed his phone to a beaming Jongin, trading it for the three dog leashes.

Immediately, the younger man raced to the edge of the pier, holding the phone high into the air, stepping on tiptoe. To Kyungsoo’s alarm, he looked to be teetering on the edge, his form in a position of questionable balance.

“Hey…” Kyungsoo called hesitantly. “Maybe you should get away from the edge.”

“Wow! Look, you can see the ferry coming in through the fjord!” Jongin shouted excitedly, bouncing on his toes. “Oh man, let me try for a better angle-” and at that, he corkscrewed his body diagonally to the left to do so, and Kyungsoo had to bring his hands up to cover his eyes. He knew what would happen next, Jongin would lose his balance and fall into the frigid water and catch pneumonia and-

Warm hands pulled Kyungsoo’s own away from his face. Jongin stood before him, safe and whole, a look of incredulous disbelief on his face. “Did you seriously think I was going to fall into the water?” he queried, seemingly on the brink of laughter.

It wasn’t quite anger, but Kyungsoo felt something akin to it bubble up within him. “Yeah, my concern is so hilarious,” he replied hotly. He snatched the phone from his friend to examine the pictures obtained, which he had to admit were of a quite superior quality. “Thanks,” he grudgingly offered, not looking up from the phone.

“You’re welcome,” Jongin said. He took the dog leashes back from Kyungsoo, who relinquished them readily.

A line for the ferry was beginning to form, and once the two of them took notice of it, they began to amble back to join it. Though he was determined not to be caught looking at the other man, Kyungsoo snuck glances through his peripheral vision whenever he deemed it safe. Jongin was walking backwards, trying to get a picture of the fjord with his own phone.

It was unexpectedly touching. Jongin had probably wanted a picture for himself- likely an obnoxious selfie with a funny face or sign- but had decided to prioritize Kyungsoo. Out of nowhere, a rolling warmth coursed through his chest. 

He resolved to take antacids when he got home.

Eventually, they boarded the ferry. After much bickering with some of the employees, they were given permission to take the dogs aboard- granted they stay out of the cabins. So, as the ferry drifted out into the vast body of water, Jongin and Kyungsoo sat huddled together on the bench, desperately trying to keep warm as they ripped through the freezing Nordic wind.

“I feel like the snot is going to freeze in my nose,” Jongin complained into his scarf, tying the leashes to one of the beams on the deck, before returning to the bench. “It’s summer but it’s still so cold.”

Kyungsoo shot him a dirty look. “None of this would have happened if you had hired a dog-sitter like I told you to,” he sniped, pressing himself closer to the other man to attempt and leech some warmth. To emphasize his own suffering, he tugged the zipper of his coat even higher, until the collar was zipped up to his face.

The sheepish grin was on Jongin’s face again. Clumsily, he tried to change the subject. “At least we have a good view,” he marvels, peering out into the scenery. Kyungsoo felt Jongin sneak an arm over his shoulder, but he couldn’t be assed to give a damn. The man was a damn furnace, and it was comfortable.

“There is that,” he agreed, smiling softly. Jongin was right, he had to admit: with autumn fast approaching, the weather had begun to acquire a colder edge, and nearly everyone had avoided the deck as a result. This resulted in a relatively unobstructed view, and Kyungsoo was able to enjoy the splendor of Norwegian nature in full.

Contentedly, they sat, drinking in the breathtaking scenery. Time flew by, as it often did, and before they knew it the ferry had traversed the entire lake, and was reversing its course.

“As beautiful as everything is, I’m not going to just watch it a second time,” Jongin suddenly declared, startling Kyungsoo. He attempted to detach himself from the other, but was seemingly unable to properly mobilize his limbs. After a long, but ultimately successful struggle, he sluggishly pulled himself up and unzipped his backpack, smiling triumphantly as he extracted a banged up selfie stick.

Kyungsoo looked on, horrified. “Oh my god,” he groaned. “You did not bring that. So embarrassing.”

Jongin looked at his selfie-stick, then at Kyungsoo, seemingly unable to comprehend the true horror of his actions.

“I refuse to take a picture with a selfie-stick,” Kyungsoo refuses adamantly. “Especially just for a two-person selfie! It goes against my principles.”

“C’mon hyung,” Jongin whined, doing his best to make a puppy-dog face. While it would have been an adorable sight ten years ago, he was now a grown-ass man in nearly all senses of the word, and the only thing he succeeded in doing was provoke a laugh out of his companion.

“Oh that’s precious,” Kyungsoo teased, grabbing his phone from his pocket. “Hold still, let me take a picture to send to the others-”

The betrayed look that took over his face sent Kyungsoo into another bout of laughter.

-

Dogs were nuisances, Kyungsoo concluded, after being woken at the buttcrack of dawn by piteous whining. It was difficult enough to fall asleep when the sun set around two in the morning, as was typical in a Nordic state. He had only gotten three hours of sleep, and was absolutely in no mood for a walk of any kind. Still, the biological functions of dogs could not be denied, and he bit back a groan as he tossed on his hoodie and grabbed a leash off of the living room table.

“Alright ugly,” he grumbled, kneeling down to wrangle the stupid dog into the leash. He struggled and failed to force the dog into submission, falling backwards onto his ass as he watched the dog bound toward the door with all the energy of a toddler on crack.

Covering his face with his hands, he groaned. No longer having the necessary energy to maintain his sitting position, he laid his body flat onto the ground, and prayed for the sweet release of sleep. He didn’t care if the house was littered in turds by morning- Jongin could clean up after his mongrels.

Actually, no. That was unacceptable. Kyungsoo remembered the utter putridity of the crap-fest the dogs had ended up having on the ferry while unattended. After that intimate acquaintance, he had no desire to risk having his house inundated with the same stench. Sitting up, he eyed the dog- it stood there by the door, tail wagging excitedly.

Slowly, with movements that poorly approximated feline grace, he crawled over to the dog. To his pleasure, it did not seem to register his presence. 

Closer.

Closer.

Apprehensively, he extended an arm to grasp its collar-

“What are you doing, hyung?” Jongin’s sleepy voice called from somewhere behind him, and the dog immediately turned about face and made for its owner like the devil was at its heels.

Sighing, Kyungsoo allowed himself to collapse onto the floor. This was his life.

“I was trying to take your dog for a walk,” he answered belatedly, his voice muffled by the wood floor. He turned his head to face Jongin, only to catch sight of the younger man casually and easily attaching a leash to the stupid dog- which was standing still as if it hadn’t been prancing around like a drunk opossum literally a moment prior.

Pulling a puffy jacket around himself, Jongin tugged the dog toward the door. “Are you coming with us?” he inquired, eyes hopeful.

Kyungsoo considered it. On one hand, he was running on three hours of sleep. On the other, taking a morning walk to bask in the cool Scandinavian breeze and enjoy the beautiful countryside, with or without Jongin and the Annoying Dog Trio, was an enticing idea.

Well, with the sun up, it was unlikely he would be able to fall asleep again anyway.

Standing up, Kyungsoo noticed that Jongin had gathered the other two dogs while he had been making up his mind. Shrugging to himself, he walked over to where they stood. “Yeah, I’ll come,” he answers.

Jongin’s smile is somehow both blinding and annoying.

Though it was already his third day in Norway, the refreshingly cool air was just as welcome as it had been on the very first. Kyungsoo closed his eyes and let the sensory details of the world amaze him- the tittering of the birds high above, the loud crunch of the gravel, the invigorating scent of the flora.

“You’re enjoying the trip,” Jongin commented with a fond smile, leaning down to bump their shoulders together.

Kyungsoo nodded in affirmation. “It’s nice to be away from the scrutiny of the public eye.” 

They continued walking, their path dictated by the whims of the dogs. Each time that one of the mutts decided to raise its leg and take a tinkle, Kyungsoo would take the opportunity to drink in the sights around him. While Jongin was by no means unobtrusive (he chattered on and on about inane things, for some reason determined to make conversation) even his presence was unable to mar the experience.

“You know,” Jongin said shyly, “I didn’t think you’d let me tag along with you. I know you’ve been planning this trip forever, and you must have wanted some solitude, but I kind of wanted to spend some time with you.”

 _We spend plenty of time together- we work with one another for goodness sake._ The retort was on the tip of Kyungsoo’s tongue, but the sight of the soft and happy look on Jongin’s face killed the words before he could say them

Instead, he simply offered back a smile of his own.

-

He wasn’t smiling as he stomped back to the house with dog piss running down his pant leg, Jongin following shortly behind spewing apologies.

-

After traversing the mountain roads for several hours, Kyungsoo could safely conclude that Norway had a needless overabundance of tunnels. When one ended, the next was already in sight, and after an hour of being surrounded by mostly concrete, he was convinced that he had been transformed into some nocturnal variety of mole.

He hissed as they exited the tunnel, his darkness-adjusted eyes painfully blinded by sunlight filtering through the cloudy sky. Seeking relief, he pulled a blanket over his head.

Jongin was not nearly as affected, judging from the throaty chuckles coming from the driver’s seat. “Hyung, don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

“No,” Kyungsoo replied grumpily, covering his eyes with his hands for added protection. “My eyes feel like they’ve been stabbed. This is the _worst_.”

“Side effect of how wide they are, maybe?” Jongin queried amusedly, and Kyungsoo chose not to dignify that with a response. Fucking Jongin.

A sudden twist jostled Kyungsoo into the car door, and had him rubbing his poor shoulder pitiably. The winding roads of Norway, though they offered a scenic drive of near incomparable majesty, had the side effects of:

1\. Knocking Kyungsoo into the door, floor, ceiling, or any other surface thereof.

2\. Causing motion sickness.

“Pull over, I’m going to be sick,” he mumbled, and with an alarmed concerned, Jongin complied with his companion’s demand, parking the vehicle in the shoulder.

Clumsily, Kyungsoo fumbled with the handle. Allowing the door to swing open haphazardly, he rushed to the closest clump of dense foliage, crouched, and proceeded to dry heave.

Jongin patted him on the back. “You didn’t have breakfast, hyung,” he reminded pointlessly. “You have nothing to throw up.”

Kyungsoo glared. “And whose fault is that?” he demanded rhetorically.

The fault, of course, was Jongin’s. At least, that’s the version of the truth Kyungsoo adamantly insisted on. After all, the reason that they had skipped breakfast, and had been forced to make an impromptu trip to Oslo, was that the dancer had somehow managed to bust the shower head.

It had gone something like this:

After their disastrous walk (Kyungsoo could practically still feel the warm and wet trickle of dog urine on his leg) he had immediately made for the shower. It felt cleansing, purifying even- it was with no small satisfaction that Kyungsoo watched the soapy water run over his body and down the drain, taking with it all evidence of disgusting dog pee.

As he dried himself off with his fluffy Pororo towel, he noticed with dismay that there was still some water trickling out of the shower head, despite the faucet indicator pointing to the off position.

Dressed but still drying himself, Kyungsoo casually mentioned this to Jongin as he walked into the kitchen. “The shower head seems to be leaking.”

It was a fatal mistake.

In hindsight, he should have been wary of the way Jongin had lit up at the mention, but Kyungsoo had been too preoccupied with deciding on breakfast that his friend’s expression had barely registered. “I’m going to take a look,” Jongin had said, a determined glint in his eyes. Looking back, it had been a warning sign of the most terrifying degree, but Kyungsoo’s response had merely been a noncommittal noise- he had paid the dancer little mind.

But it didn’t take long for him to realize something was up. While cooking (which, as of the first day, had become his sole responsibility,) Kyungsoo had grown suspicious when Jongin failed to show his annoying face for five straight minutes. If there was anything his housemate could be counted on to be, it was clingy and obnoxious, and his presence (more specifically, the lack thereof) set off alarm bells.

He tried to reason to himself that it was none of his business, that it didn’t concern him. Needless to say, he failed utterly. Turning off the stove and tossing his apron aside, he sought out Jongin.

Whom he eventually found in the bathroom, utterly and completely drenched, using a wrench to clumsily fiddle with a totally busted showerhead. The bathroom was horribly flooded, and Kyungsoo’s eyelids twitched in fury as he waded his way to the other man.

“Jongin,” he had asked despairingly. “Why?”

(“Why?” he had despairingly questioned the world later, when the nearest hardware store that a quick internet search yielded was miles away in Oslo.)

So that concluded the sordid tale of why they were making the long voyage to Oslo. Even the thought of it made Kyungsoo want to pummel Jongin into the ground. If he had possessed any idea of what parts to buy and how to implement them, then he would have sent the dancer on a one-way plane back to Korea already.

Instead, he was forced to hire a local girl to dog-sit (her name was Frigga or Olga or something, Kyungsoo had found himself beyond caring in all honesty,) and then accompany Jongin all the way to Oslo to get the necessary materials to repair the shower head.

At least the bastard had the decency to look ashamed, hanging his head and pouting cutely. Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, Kyungsoo stood up, his knees marginally less wobbly than they had been minutes prior. “I’m good now,” he said curtly. “Let’s get going.”

Still squinting at the brightness of the world around him, Kyungsoo stumbled back to the car, collapsing into his seat. Due to the timely respite, his motion sickness had mostly passed, and now he was ready for the undoubtedly arduous trip ahead.

-

“I can’t, Chanyeol, I really can’t stand him” Kyungsoo hissed into his phone. He was standing outside the hardware store, taking advantage of the (for once) consistent signal by contacting his bandmate. “I had this perfect vacation planned out in my head, and he just fucked everything up. I wish I hadn’t let him tag along.”

It was a harsh thing to say, and Kyungsoo wouldn’t have said it if he hadn’t been so fucking tired. The point of the entire vacation was to enjoy the taste of freedom, and to give himself some time to unwind. But from the very beginning, there had been no opportunity to relax- every day with Kim Jongin felt like a day stuck on babysitting duty.

“Aw, give the kid a break,” comes a muffled reply. Kyungsoo strained to hear it, and deduced from the whiny, annoying tone that it was Baekhyun rather than Chanyeol speaking. “He was so excited to come on the trip with you! Anyway, he was just trying to help, and it’s the thought that counts, right?”

He sighed. “Normally, I would agree with you,” Kyungsoo replied flatly, though he actually sort of doubted he would. “But this was supposed to be my vacation. I know he means well, but I wish that he would just leave me alone. I want to salvage whatever’s left of my vacation in peace.”

Something poked his shoulder, causing him to yelp and jump in surprise. He turned, and found himself face to face with Jongin’s playful expression. Behind him, the store’s door swung shut.

“Listen,” Kyungsoo said quickly, “Jongin’s done shopping. I’ll call you guys back later, okay?”

Without waiting for his bandmate’s responses, he ended the call. Shoving the phone into his pocket, he turned to Jongin with a wry smile. “Got everything you needed?” he questioned.

The younger man nodded. “Yup,” he answered.

-

Jongin was distracted the entire time they were grocery shopping.

Since they were already in Oslo, Kyungsoo made the executive decision to go grocery shopping. Though there was the odd store in their neighborhood, there was a very large and well-stocked supermarket in the city, and he’d be damned if he had to use industrial grade toilet paper one more time. A pack of Charmin’ Ultra Soft was the first thing he’d loaded into the cart, because priorities.

Food was a close second.

“Cost of living is so high in Norway,” Kyungsoo picked up a head of cabbage, contemplating whether or not they could forego kimchi. While it was a familiar dish, he’d rather try some of the regional cuisine. He turned to Jongin. “You want to make kimchi, or should we be adventurous and try something new?”

But Jongin paid him no attention, seemingly lost in thought. Kyungsoo frowned at his friend’s uncharacteristic quietness. “Jongin?”

“Oh, uh, what?” A forced smile made its way onto Jongin’s face, looking far too stretched and not reaching his eyes, and if Kyungsoo hadn’t been convinced something was off before, he was now.

“I was asking whether or not we absolutely need kimchi,” he answered, narrowing his eyes, trying to get a better feel for the situation. “Are you okay? You seem unwell.”

Cue extremely fake-sounding laughter to further stir Kyungsoo’s suspicions. “Don’t worry,” Jongin replied unconvincingly, shrugging off the question. “I’m just a bit tired. We’ve been doing a lot of sightseeing. Maybe I’ll sit tomorrow out.”

“You’re tired already? We’ve only been here two days, how the hell are you tired already?” It was a rhetorical question- though he didn’t believe Jongin’s excuse in the least, he knew that it wasn’t really his business, and ultimately chose not to pry. Instead, he turned his attention back to the cabbage. “What would we even eat the kimchi with,” he muttered, inspecting the vegetable thoroughly. Shaking his head, he put it back.

After calling out Jongin’s behavior, Kyungsoo had expected that the younger man would return to routine (or at least pretend to, for the sake of normalcy.) Instead, there was an uncomfortable silence. Rather than acknowledging it, he chose to power on, briskly walking to another aisle. After a few moments, soft footsteps followed.

“You want to try lutefisk?” Kyungsoo grabbed a bag of the gelatinous substance from the shelf and shook it in a questioning manner. He’d read about it (and was secretly very disgusted at the thought of eating it) and it was something he wanted to tick off his to-do list. “Fish soaked in lye. It’s kind of gross, but you know, you only live once and all that.”

Thankfully, that does break the ice somewhat- Jongin wrinkled his nose adorably. “Could you even keep that down, hyung?” he queried doubtfully. He seemed to consider it for a moment. “I guess if we don’t finish it, we could feed it to the dogs.”

Kyungsoo nodded approvingly. “That’s the spirit.”

“If it tastes like death, can I have some of your truffles to cleanse my palate?” The younger man wiggled his eyebrows.

“Don’t push your luck.”

Jongin seemed revitalized after that, cracking jokes and making dry and sarcastic comments with renewed spirit. While they hadn’t solved anything past the surface, Kyungsoo really had no desire to- time healed all wounds, after all, and he was satisfied with the veneer of normalcy that they had successfully created.

(If Jongin’s smile was still forced, or if the ground between them was still a little rocky, he pretended not to notice.)

-

“To the dogs it goes!” Jongin cried, flinging his serving of lutefisk against the wall. It slid to the ground, looking like a sad pile of half-digested fishy vomit.

Kyungsoo, having consumed a small portion of the Norwegian dish himself, regarded the foodstuff queasily. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” he said, pursing his lips in distaste. “It might kill the poor things.”

-

“So I was thinking we’d go to Bergen today,” Kyungsoo said, poring over an open map as he shoveled sinfully sweet frosted flakes into his mouth. “Browse the market, stroll through the boulevards, check out the docks. Maybe even go on one of those tours.”

Jongin dug into his own bowl of cereal, seemingly determined not to meet his eyes. “That sounds nice,” he remarked tonelessly. Whatever had been eating at him the previous night seemed to have returned with a vengeance- he seemed entirely out of it. Despite his response, Kyungsoo very much doubted that anything he said had actually been registered.

Nevertheless, Kyungsoo soldiered on. “It does, doesn’t it?” He prodded the other, hoping for a better response. “It’s a city too, so you can taste civilization again if you want to. Check out the malls, grab some greasy fast food, hit the clubs…” He felt stupid, like he was trying to tempt the other man into joining him. Which was silly.

Sighing, Jongin looked up, and their eyes met for the first time that day. There was no cheer in his gaze- instead, he looked inscrutable. “I don’t think I’ll go with you today,” he spoke after a short silence. 

With alarm, Kyungsoo scooted his chair closer to the dancer’s. The other man had been distant on two occasions now, and for a person of such childish temperament, it was concerning. “Are you alright? Are you sick?” he asked seriously. Though he wasn’t one for direct confrontation, it seemed like there was no other way to resolve this. “Do you not like me? Was I too harsh about the showerhead? You’ve been weird ever since.”

“No, hyung, you’ve got it all wrong,” Jongin insisted. As if to punctuate his statement, he picked up one of his dogs and squished its face to his own, before offering a cheesy grin. “I just wanted to spend time with my babies.”

Blinking, Kyungsoo tried his best to process this information. “You want to spend time,” he repeated. “With your dogs.” He tried to imagine why in the world clingy, overexcited Jongin- who had begged to accompany him on this trip- would suddenly choose to spurn his presence for the company of mutts.

Not that he cared, he reminded himself. This was his opportunity to experience Norway the way he should have been all trip!

Still- “Are you sure you’ll be alright home alone? You can take care of all three dogs?” he queried suspiciously. It felt a little irresponsible to leave Jongin unattended, even if for only a day. The younger man had, throughout the trip, repeatedly proved his penchant for causing trouble. Not once had he displayed even a shred of the ability to care for even himself. Even if it would allow Kyungsoo to fully enjoy himself, the cost-benefit ratio was absolutely too low.

He was about to voice this, when Jongin spoke. “Maybe I’ll call Helga over,” he thought aloud.

Kyungsoo’s mouth opened and closed dumbly. “Helga?”

“You know, the girl that you hired to dog-sit yesterday. I thought she did a pretty good job. If it looks like more than I’ll be able to handle, I’ll call her.”

It didn’t sit well with him. “You could bring the dogs with us,” he suggested. “They might like a change of scenery.” It was a concession he was willing to make. And it wasn’t as if they stupid creatures were all that bad, he attempted to convince himself. What was the worst they could do to him?

Jongin shook his head. “What if they pee on you again, or chase stray cats or something?” Kyungsoo couldn’t suppress a wince at the very idea of it, but even if both things happened, they would only be minor irks. He was about to voice this, but the younger man continued, cutting him off. “No, go enjoy Bergen, hyung.”

-

Wandering the streets of the city by himself, Kyungsoo tried to put away his conflicting feelings.

It was alright, at first. Without distractions, it was easy to listen to and understand the tour guide. He could surrender his full attentions to the beautiful scenery and gorgeous architecture. Exploring was done at his own pace- no need to speedwalk past UNESCO heritage sites to keep up with Jongin’s lengthy stride.

But for some reason, even in the tourist laden Bryggen Wharfs and in the crowded restaurants and ice cream parlors, Kyungsoo felt a twinge of loneliness. Nothing overwhelming, but occasionally the younger man would pop into his mind. As he walked down the street nibbling on his ice cream cone, he couldn’t help but imagine how much livelier the experience would have been with his erstwhile companion to keep him company.

Those thoughts only led to weightier ones- he felt sort of guilty enjoying himself so much when Jongin had appeared quite glum. He didn’t know what was bugging the younger man, and it made him feel like a failure of a hyung.

Naturally, when his friends called him up, he seized the opportunity, and hijacked the conversation to complain.

“I don’t understand it at all,” he ranted into the phone furiously. “He seemed like he was enjoying the vacation, and suddenly he gets all morose. And now he doesn’t want to go to Bergen with me? What’s the deal?”

“Aren’t you getting what you wanted?” Chanyeol asked confusedly. “Just yesterday, you were complaining about how he was ruining your trip.”

Kyungsoo sputtered. “I- well, that is- yes, I was.” He sighed. “You know what, never mind. Being alone is glorious. I’m glad he didn’t come.” He frowned nevertheless. “That’s not the point, though. I can’t enjoy myself when he’s all mopey. I’d feel too guilty.”

“Didn’t he say he wanted to spend time with his dogs? Maybe they just weren’t getting enough time with each other, so he felt bad about neglecting them.” Chanyeol’s voice sounded a tad petulant, and it made Kyungsoo want to whack him ten times upside the head. “Even if they’re not as complex as people, the feelings of dogs are important too.”

If he could send Chanyeol a look over the phone, it would be a withering one. As it was, he merely sighed. “That’s just an excuse, silly,” he explained impatiently. Chanyeol could be so dense sometimes. “If it was just about the dogs, we could have just taken them along, like we have been all trip. Instead he wants to stay home with the dogs and Helga.”

The very mention of the pretty Scandinavian girl was enough to sour the mood even further. She had arrived at the house shortly before he left, and the way she had simpered and flirted with Jongin the whole time kind of ground on his nerves. Thankfully, Jongin had seemed quite uninterested in her- heaven knows in how many ways being around a couple would ruin his vacation.

“Oh.” There was a rustling sound on the other end of the call. Indiscernible mutterings, as if a secondary conversation was being conducted. Then: “Maybe he’s just moody? I don’t know, Soo. I’m not really that good with these things. Sorry.”

“Excellent observation,” Kyungsoo drawled, unimpressed. “Of course he’s moody, genius. The question here is why.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” The voice, obnoxious and whiny, clearly was not Chanyeol.

“Baekhyun?” he asked incredulously. “Seriously?” One of the most judgmental people he knew, Baekhyun was _not_ someone he wanted privy to his private matters. And while Chanyeol was attached to the midget diva at the hip, Kyungsoo thought the giant possessed mental faculties functional enough to understand that _things told in confidence were utterly private._

He could hear offended huffing over the phone. “Rude,” Baekhyun pouted. “I was going to offer my insights, but I suppose they aren’t wanted…”

“You’re absolutely right,” Kyungsoo agreed quickly. “They’re not. Shoo. Go do something else.”

Absolute silence as Baekhyun processed the dismissal. “Alright,” he said at length. “What I think is-”

“No, no,” Kyungsoo groaned, pressing his hands to his face in exasperation. “See Chanyeol, this is why we don’t let Baekhyun listen in on conversations.”

“Sorry,” Chanyeol said meekly.

“- he’s sulking because you inadvertently rejected his advances.”

Kyungsoo couldn’t help it- he broke out in laughter at that. “I’m sorry, Baek,” he smiled, wiping tears from his eyes. “That was a good one, I admit it.”

Frosty silence. “I was serious,” Baekhyun replied sharply.

“… Oh.” Furrowing his brows, Kyungsoo shook his head. “Sorry, I’m not following you. How did you arrive at that conclusion?”

“Please,” Baekhyun scoffed. “Whenever you’re together, anyone with eyes can see he’s crazy about you. He’s always following you around like one of his ugly dogs.”

“They are ugly, aren’t they,” Chanyeol agreed.

“Not the point, Yeol. Knowing Jongin, he probably tried to do all sorts of coupley things throughout the trip, am I right?”

In hindsight, Kyungsoo realized that indeed appeared to be the case. The (failed) attempt at cooking, the couple selfies, the dog walking, the (also failed) attempt to fix the shower- it all seemed to align with Baekhyun’s harebrained conclusion.

“Go on,” he commanded, now much more interested in what his friend had to say.

“And then, knowing you, you probably said something off-handedly that could be misconstrued as a rejection,” Baekhyun concluded smugly.

Definitely not. “Are you crazy?” he scoffed. “If I knew Jongin liked me, I would have jumped that a _long_ time ago. Guy might be an absolute idiot, but he’s pretty cute.” Mournfully, he considered all the wasted time. “Damn it. I thought he was straight because he dated Krystal.”

“But you said something that hurt his feelings,” Baekhyun pushed.

“As if.” He’d been holding back his irritation this whole trip. The only time he said anything was when he had voiced his complaints to Chanyeol. And he hadn’t even said all that much before Jongin- 

“Oh, shit.”

Baekhyun was right.

“Shit Baek,” he said in awe. “You’re right.”

“As always.” Just by tone of voice, it was obvious that Baekhyun was preening. 

“I wouldn’t go as far as to say that,” Kyungsoo snarked. “But you’re right this time.”

-

Despite cutting his day in Bergen short to hurry back, it was still evening by the time Kyungsoo pulled in to the driveway. Helga’s SUV was nowhere in sight (thank the lord,) but the sight that greeted him there was equally alarming- Jongin had tied two of his three dogs to a nearby fencepost, while the younger man himself was attempting to wrestle one of the mutts into the car.

He rolled down the window. “Jongin,” he called, leaning out. “What are you doing?”

The younger man looked at him, expression somber, and Kyungsoo bit his lip nervously. Quickly, he threw open the door and ran over to where his groupmate was.

“Are you leaving?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jongin nodded glumly. Having successfully wrangled one of his creatures into the car, he slammed the door shut, and turned his attention to one of the other poodles.

Kyungsoo grabbed onto his arm. “I didn’t mean it,” he blurted.

The dancer seemed greatly confused by this. “Didn’t mean what, hyung?”

“When I told Chanyeol that you were ruining my vacation. I didn’t mean it.” Opening his eyes wide, he tried for a beseeching look.

Jongin’s brow furrows. “Oh,” he said. But his expression didn’t change- it remained as closed off as it had been all day (and some of the previous day.) With a nod, he turned back to his dogs, untying one of their leashes.

“Are you still leaving?” Kyungsoo asked incredulously. “Look, Jongin- do you like me?” He felt insanely vulnerable asking that question- if Baekhyun was wrong, then he had significant amounts of humiliation and shame awaiting him.

When Jongin nodded slowly, he let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding.

“I like you too,” he said with a beatific heart-shaped smile. “Let’s date, Jongin.”

The younger man’s face scrunched up. “… But we’re already dating, hyung,” he replied, perplexed.

This was news to Kyungsoo. “What? Since when?”

“We’ve been dating for years,” Jongin replied as he carried his dog over to the car. “Don’t you remember? I confessed to you after you helped me through the breakup with Soojung.”

While Kyungsoo did remember supporting Jongin through the breakup, he had no recollection of a confession of any kind. “You didn’t think it was weird that we’d been in a relationship for years without sex?” he questioned disbelievingly.

A cute blush made its way across Jongin’s cheeks. “I thought we were taking it slow, hyung,” he explained, opening the car door and shoving his pet in.

Kyungsoo took a while to digest all this new information. Apparently, he and the dancer had been in a weird, celibate relationship for years- something he had somehow been oblivious too. While it was true that the two of them had been very close for the past few years, he could recall very little that overtly indicated dating. 

Though it was true that, as public figures in a rather conservative country, they would not have had many chances to show that degree of affection without endangering their lives and livelihoods. Never mind then.

When he finally snapped back to attention, Jongin had just finished loading up the last dog into the car, and shut the door.

“We’ve cleared up all these misunderstandings, and you’re _still_ leaving?” Kyungsoo could not believe this.

Jongin met his eyes then, a single tear trailing down his cheek, his lower lip trembling. “Hyung,” he croaked. “I accidentally fed Monggu some chocolate, and if we don’t do something fast, my baby is gonna die!”

Kyungsoo’s eye twitched. He couldn’t believe that after all the drama, Jongin’s reason for leaving was something like this. Puffing his cheeks, he peered into the window, examining the dog in question.

“How much chocolate did you feed Monggu?” he asked, knocking on the glass to try and get a reaction form the mutts (who all bounded over and stupidly started licking the window.)

“A truffle.”

Kyungsoo looked up at Jongin sharply. “One of _my_ truffles?” He had brought with him a cache of expensive champagne truffles to slowly savor over the course of the vacation. The truffles had been a fan gift exclusively for him, so he had refused to give share them with any of the other members (out of respect for the fan, he said, though really it was just because he wanted them to himself.)

Guiltily, Jongin nodded.

“So yesterday when you were being quiet and suspicious… and today when you decided to stay home… you were planning to eat my truffles.” And to think he had been worried about the idiot.

Another guilty nod. Damn Baekhyun and his stupid theories to hell. Kyungsoo was never going to let that pint sized peacock live _this_ one down.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Kyungsoo tried to calm himself. “Alright,” he said as evenly as he could manage. “First of all, one truffle isn’t nearly enough to poison a dog.”

“It isn’t?” The relief in the younger man’s voice was palpable. His shoulders sagged, the tension leaking out of them. “Oh, phew.”

“Second,” Kyungsoo continued, as if he hadn’t heard a thing. “I’m going to give you a ten second head start.” His eyes flashed dangerously. “I’m going to teach you a lesson about stealing _my_ truffles.”

Jongin gulped.


End file.
